Page 15 - Annual report 2018 of the Böllhoff Group

Innovation and developments

The current challenges
The world of manufacturing is undergoing change on the shop floor. Key reasons for this are
increasingly global competition and variation in market demand. Product lifecycles are becoming
shorter. This of course also applies to the automotive sector. Changing model ranges call for
flexible solutions that are ready to use right away.

They also require professional expertise in the field of lightweight construction (the technology of
both today and tomorrow) if we are to save materials and energy – on the contrary, the automotive
industry in particular can no longer be imagined without modern lightweight engineering concepts.
These not only significantly improve driving dynamics, but also help reduce emissions. Lightweight
construction will remain elemental to the future of the automobile and additionally ranks as an im-
portant component of e-mobility.

Key technologies in the context of lightweight design
Lightweight construction however also makes high demands on composite construction concepts Application-oriented
and depends on innovative fastening technologies. Many of Böllhoff's technologies are already solutions that benefit our
aimed at modern body structures, where a mix of materials is now the norm. With for example the customers in the face of
global competition can
key technologies of mechanical fastening, the company offers major potential in terms of produc-
best be developed in
tive solutions.
cooperation with a
system partner.
®
This includes the RIVSET Automation EH, semi-tubular self-pierce riveting technology which
Burkhard Stimmel,
enables lightweight materials and high-tensile steels to be joined with short process times. There
Application Product
is no need for the material components to be pre-drilled or punched beforehand. In one step, the Management
semi-tubular rivet pierces the upper layers of the workpiece, making an undercut in the bottom Division Automotive
layer to create the characteristic locking head. This process not only impresses with its compara- (KUKA)
tively high quasi-static and dynamic strength and excellent reproducibility, but can also be easily
automated.

With this system the focus falls on functionality, variability and design. Combined with a high
service life, maximum availability and minimal maintenance, this forms the basis for successful Together with KUKA we
manufacturing. Consistent further development enables Böllhoff to offer the right response to have been able to realise
the latest industrial trends. perfectly coordinated
components.
Working in close cooperation with KUKA, we have come up with an automated, flexible and turn- Horst Wittop,
key solution. The result: coordinated, preconfigured systems, which can be quickly implemented Sales Manager Automation
Germany (Böllhoff)
and are simple to use. The two parties contributed specialist expertise from the automotive sector,
with their specific skills in robotics and joining technology enabling them to launch a competitive
product: the ready2_rivet package.

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